Open Bar: We're going to build a bar, and make the drinks pay for it!

[POFP]

Would anyone be interested in a very in-depth, auto-biographical analysis of introspective experimentation? Testing of the psychological tendencies and neurological/physiological boundaries?

In my mid-late teens I experimented with compartmentalization, the extent of my control over what I had previously known to be uncontrollable neurological functions (Reward-system, and certain neuro-transmitter levels), and the aftermath of a mental break or two (Non-Anxiety related, kind of), and many other things. My findings, although possibly damaging in their acquisition, were quite interesting.

If some basic analysis is preferred, that's fine. But "in-depth" is essentially capable of making some people uncomfortable, considering it will include complete and total honesty. I will leave out some details of the complex aspects of some of my thoughts and feelings as they aren't necessarily important to the experiment, and would protect myself and others. I cannot stress to you enough, this analysis would be VERY fucking personal. But I'm willing to go this far for an outside perspective, and for SCIENCE. I think, if anyone is worthy, it would be you guys. I don't know if I'd post it on the site itself. But I'd be able to PM it to others on request, once it's written up.

If no one's interested, I'll keep it all to myself for future analysis.

(Also, is this sort of question OPEN BAR Material? Or should this be somewhere else? I just wanted to ask as a general question where most people here like to look daily.)

[LMNO]

This sounds like, from what I can gather, something that would be at home in "Think For Yourself, Schmuck".  But you do you.

[P3nT4gR4m]

I love head games. Post here/OMF/TfYS/PM wherever. I'm all ears

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

I'm just sitting at home, waiting for Alty to finish a massage and come home so we can finish prepping for our trip to Alaska. I should probably be washing dishes or something.

Hope your journey goes well!

So far, so good.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

If spicy foods preemptively spike my olfactory system, could prolonged use have an attenuating effect (entirely speculative)?

I know that we lose olfactory and flavor receptor cells over the course of our lifetimes, and it makes sense in terms of the general mechanics of neurophysiology that more action potentials lead to earlier neuron death.

But I suppose it also depends a lot on what you mean by "spike [your] olfactory system".

[POFP]

If spicy foods preemptively spike my olfactory system, could prolonged use have an attenuating effect (entirely speculative)?

I know that we lose olfactory and flavor receptor cells over the course of our lifetimes, and it makes sense in terms of the general mechanics of neurophysiology that more action potentials lead to earlier neuron death.

But I suppose it also depends a lot on what you mean by "spike [your] olfactory system".

Oh, that's interesting. Would you care to briefly explain why/how that happens, on that neurophysiological level? Or possibly link to something else, if it's worth it to be more verbose? That changes the way I thought about those sorts of things.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

My family is a little worried.

Is it normal to have such a bad sense of smell that you can walk into a candle shop and not smell a damn thing? This has been going on for awhile.
One of my friends said it could be an early sign of Alzheimer's/Schizophrenia, but I doubt that.

Also, I'm not suffering from seasonal allergies or blockages. I can blow my nose normally and all that. I just can't smell almost anything.

I don't even smell body odor or shit/farts anymore, except for some times. And even then, it's not like the normal fart or shit smell I'm used to. It has more of a chemical smell, than the usual smell, and isn't particularly displeasing or foul.

Also, I shower regularly and have very good hygiene. It's not me getting used to the smells on myself or something lol

I particularly don't care. I do smell things sometimes if I get them VERY close to my nose, and then I only smell it for a second, and then the sensation is gone.

Oh, just read back and saw this post. Could be zinc deficiency. Or, if you've ever suffered a blow to the head, it's also possible that you damaged your olfactory tract. But it sounds more like zinc deficiency.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

If spicy foods preemptively spike my olfactory system, could prolonged use have an attenuating effect (entirely speculative)?

I know that we lose olfactory and flavor receptor cells over the course of our lifetimes, and it makes sense in terms of the general mechanics of neurophysiology that more action potentials lead to earlier neuron death.

But I suppose it also depends a lot on what you mean by "spike [your] olfactory system".

Oh, that's interesting. Would you care to briefly explain why/how that happens, on that neurophysiological level? Or possibly link to something else, if it's worth it to be more verbose? That changes the way I thought about those sorts of things.

These might be helpful:

http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/861242-overview

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3916729/

[minuspace]

If spicy foods preemptively spike my olfactory system, could prolonged use have an attenuating effect (entirely speculative)?

I know that we lose olfactory and flavor receptor cells over the course of our lifetimes, and it makes sense in terms of the general mechanics of neurophysiology that more action potentials lead to earlier neuron death.

But I suppose it also depends a lot on what you mean by "spike [your] olfactory system".

Oh, that's interesting. Would you care to briefly explain why/how that happens, on that neurophysiological level? Or possibly link to something else, if it's worth it to be more verbose? That changes the way I thought about those sorts of things.

These might be helpful:

http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/861242-overview

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3916729/

Gonna check these out re:

it makes sense in terms of the general mechanics of neurophysiology that more action potentials lead to earlier neuron death.

Cause that's not entirely intuitive, for some reason.

--

Entirely unrelated, enjoying the new Michael Moore doc more than I thought I would.

[POFP]

My family is a little worried.

Is it normal to have such a bad sense of smell that you can walk into a candle shop and not smell a damn thing? This has been going on for awhile.
One of my friends said it could be an early sign of Alzheimer's/Schizophrenia, but I doubt that.

Also, I'm not suffering from seasonal allergies or blockages. I can blow my nose normally and all that. I just can't smell almost anything.

I don't even smell body odor or shit/farts anymore, except for some times. And even then, it's not like the normal fart or shit smell I'm used to. It has more of a chemical smell, than the usual smell, and isn't particularly displeasing or foul.

Also, I shower regularly and have very good hygiene. It's not me getting used to the smells on myself or something lol

I particularly don't care. I do smell things sometimes if I get them VERY close to my nose, and then I only smell it for a second, and then the sensation is gone.

Oh, just read back and saw this post. Could be zinc deficiency. Or, if you've ever suffered a blow to the head, it's also possible that you damaged your olfactory tract. But it sounds more like zinc deficiency.

Haven't suffered any blows to the head. And I was checked for many deficiencies, including Zinc, a little while ago. But it wouldn't hurt to have it looked into again.

If spicy foods preemptively spike my olfactory system, could prolonged use have an attenuating effect (entirely speculative)?

I know that we lose olfactory and flavor receptor cells over the course of our lifetimes, and it makes sense in terms of the general mechanics of neurophysiology that more action potentials lead to earlier neuron death.

But I suppose it also depends a lot on what you mean by "spike [your] olfactory system".

Oh, that's interesting. Would you care to briefly explain why/how that happens, on that neurophysiological level? Or possibly link to something else, if it's worth it to be more verbose? That changes the way I thought about those sorts of things.

These might be helpful:

http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/861242-overview

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3916729/

Oh, sweet. Thank you very much!

[The Wizard Joseph]

People pay money for those kind of pictures you now.

Not very well adjusted people, but nevertheless, people with money.

Pics worth a thousand
Ever in the market hot
And just the right words
For a thousand pics
Each solid gold

[The Wizard Joseph]

Could be neurological, could be space aliens.

Consult a doctor and/or the ghost of Carl Sagan.

Yes these! 

[The Wizard Joseph]

So, indefeatable bronchitis, week 2.  Off for the CT scan on Tuesday.

More disconcerting than Poo's anosmia.

Hold on Reverend!

[The Wizard Joseph]

I hope this clears up for you soon.

Thanks, so do I.  My ribs hurt from coughing all night ever night.  I feel like ECH has been clog-dancing on my sternum.

ECH, why you clog dancing on Roger?  He is not dance floor.

Everything is a dance floor if you're angry enough.

And that means EVERYTHING!  <- first time I've felt justified using this

[The Wizard Joseph]

I'm just sitting at home, waiting for Alty to finish a massage and come home so we can finish prepping for our trip to Alaska. I should probably be washing dishes or something.

Hope your journey goes well!

So far, so good.